Miracle at Work

Willy Perkins was a little late arriving at University hospital where his company is installing a new Magnetic Resonance Imaging system, MRI.  His two coworkers, Steve and Al, were already there working. As Field Engineers, FEs as the term goes in short; they are responsible for ensuring the system has been mechanically installed correctly and calibrating the system to within specification prior to clinical use by the hospital’s MRI radiology department.  The inspection, calibrations and testing can take almost two weeks to complete.

This was Willy’s first day back at work since his mom had passed away last Wednesday and he wasn’t in the mood for much chit chat. “Hey guys, sorry I’m late, what’s next on the installation checklist?” No one replied fast enough for Willy so, he took a quick glance at the data sheet lying on the computer console, noted the next item not yet checked and started working on it.

After a short while, Steve walked over and softly asked, “You doing alright?” “Yea” Willy quickly said without looking up. 

Steve is the company’s area MRI FE team leader. Though he truly felt concern for Willy, he also knew he has an obligation to check on all the members of his team.  Safety is the number one concern when working on superconducting magnets and cryogenics. 

Everyone has to be mindful of the hazards at all times in this line of work.

But Willy is the consummate professional.  He’s been in the MRI field for eleven years now. Before that he was a radar FE for a defense contractor out in California for a couple of years.  Eight years in the military service working on missile launchers and radars helped him get accepted at the defense contractor FE position. 

Some call him the “bull dog” for his relentless troubleshooting skills that finds the root causes that others miss. 

In his youth, family and friends always complained to Willy that he thinks too much; but, not the guys and gals in this field.  They admire him for it.

Back in 1978, at twenty-one years of age, he was plucked up off his ship and transported by helicopter to the USS Constellation in the south pacific to fix a broken Mark 10 Terrier guided missile launcher! But that tale is for a different story.

On occasion, Willy lets his emotions get in the way of this intense focused pursuit he developed.  Truth be told, this bull dog approach was borne out of self-protection.  Well, more exactly, the emotions he senses in the other people around him which can cause his to fluctuate as well. This is why he isn’t comfortable in crowded rooms like at a party.

Imagine the typical noise at a party.  Then, couple that with “emotional” noise coming from everyone in all directions into your own soul.  So distracting, so draining, he always left early if he went at all.  He’s more disciplined now though.  His training in the Marines helped quite a bit.  Focus on the objective with all of your mind, body and spirit.  Anything less is halfhearted.  Have a few drinks if need be, he rationalized to himself, to help dampen the unwanted intrusions. He wasn’t sure what or why this is happening.

But it was a family counselor he had visited during his divorce that confirmed that he was indeed empathic.  She didn’t believe Willy when he first mentioned his unique ability.

“So Willy, tell me why you think you have the ability to know so much about what your son is feeling since he is not talking with you about it?”

“Well, I know you are hurt and disappointed that your father never bought you a baseball glove and did not have the close relationship with you as you wanted to have with him.” Willy replied confidently.

She quickly looked down and then turned her head to the right in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent Willy from looking into her soul!

“I’m right aren’t I”, Willy smilingly asked.

“Being empathic is a rare gift that some use to scam people out of money or use them for their own designs.” she informed him.  “It is a gift which can and should be used to help people”, she concluded while smiling back.

But, how did you know? She did not actually speak those words. Willy read it in her body language saw it in her eyes and felt it emit from her soul. No sense of fear or anger.  More like awe or wonder.

Willy then explained, “Do you remember last week when we were talking about my relationship with my kids?” She nodded yes. “Well, when I mentioned I had bought my daughter a glove and included her in playing catch as much as I played the games she liked to play, I saw a little water well up in your eyes, your body became a little tense, you looked down and I felt a lot of pain emitting from you.”

She did not reply and he did not continue because he sensed she was very uncomfortable at this point and surprisingly, quite vulnerable too. He wanted to hug her to make her feel better.  He knew she needed one but did not attempt it.

Neither one ever said anything more on that subject. There was one more session the following week, then Willy never went back for any more sessions.

He didn’t go back in fear he would need to “shut off” his gift in order for the sessions to be beneficial now that she knows about it.  It is dangerous to turn this off and Willy knows it.  Back in the summer of 1979 he was able to shut it down with some steady, heavy drinking and it almost cost him his life!  Even now when people see the odd scars on his right chest and upper rib cage he misdirects the questions by stating it was an accident.  If they press him more he tells them the truth while trying to be humorous. “I “accidently” met a stranger with a knife that wanted to kill me”, he tells them with a smirk and leaves it at that.  This is another story to tell at different time.

Willy knew from where this “gift’ came.  He was the youngest of five children in a very dysfunctional family.  At a very young age, he developed the skill for reading body language so intently that eventually he became able to actually “analyze” another’s spirit.

Not judgmentally, he wasn’t old enough for that.  It was just for the understanding.

He can tell if their words match their soul. He would feel what their spirit felt and understand just as much as hear their words and know what they mean.  Their spirit would either amplify the words or diminish them.  He used to call people out when he sensed a difference between them. But, he realized that not very many people own up to it anyway so now he uses the gift to simply understand who they are and leave it alone.

This is why on the fifteen hour drive down to his mom’s home he worked on his own feelings and thoughts about their relationship.  The last thing he wanted at the time of her death was to sense any anger or resentment from Willy’s spirit to hers.

“So, how’s your kids and family dealing with the loss of your mom?” added Steve.

Sensing Steve’s genuine empathy toward him, Willy stood up to add; “I’m glad that I took the kids down to see her the weekend before she died. They were able to see mom's peace, love and contentment even with what she was facing, I am grateful for that.”

Then, taking off his safety glasses, Willy looked deep into Steve’s eyes to rapture his attention to each and every word of the story he is about to relate;

"I'm not sure of how spiritual you are Steve but, I must tell you something that happened on the Sunday before she died. I was alone with mom as she lay in her bed.  Her eyes had been closed for almost two days now without one sound or movement. I was concerned that she may be in a lot of pain but unable to let us know.  She was dying of cancer of the liver.  The cancer started in her breasts years ago; spread to her bones and in the last month went to her liver causing this fast decline to certain death.  Hospice had been there over a week already.  I sat in a recliner, which we had recently moved into her bedroom, praying and meditating to ask God to let me contact her spiritually somehow so as I would know how she is really feeling." “To me, it would be hell-styled torture to be in immense pain and not be able to move around or say anything about it.”

Just then two men showed up at the door of the MRI unit which abruptly interrupted Willy. The door was rigged open because there are multiple cables and hoses that lay strewn through the doorway and along the floor needed for the installation equipment.

One was an elderly gentleman but he wasn't frail at all.  He was about six feet tall with short white hair and was probably in his late sixties or early seventies though he did walk slowly and had a quiet, humble demeanor. 

The other man was much younger, in his twenty’s, and he was bigger than the older gentleman but seemingly just as humble.

Willy turned to see if they needed directions or something but the young man spoke first surprisingly saying; “Can we listen to your story?”

Being quite puzzled and a little startled Willy said "uh sure, you’re welcome to listen" without giving it a second thought as if this would have happened on any given day.

Willy continued to tell his story of how he had closed his eyes and meditated on his mom’s condition, how are you feeling? Mom, are you in any pain?

Then he added, “I saw her and his dad's presence together” (he had passed away a little over two years ago) “sort of hugging but there were no bodies or lights or anything like that.” “More like orbs’ Willy said excitingly, shaping his hands into two half orbs. “Just bundles of energy full of love that was merged together along a part of the arc’s edges.” 

“Dad’s orb never said anything but, I could sense his presence.” “And it was more like we heard each other’s thoughts rather than actually speaking.”

Willy said he could feel the love and his heart warmed.  The warmth was overflowing like maybe how you felt on your best Christmas ever or like ET's heart in the movie he kids loved to watch.  Willy liked it too.

Then his mom’s orb asked, "Why are you here?" to which Willy replied "it's OK Mom. I'm in both worlds right now."  Then she said to my dad's Spirit “I don't want to leave my kids.”

“And at that instant, mom's body moved and she made a noise! I opened my eyes and leaned forward to see how she was doing and with a big smile and very clear-love filled eyes she just said "Hi!" ” “Ever so sweetly then closed her eyes again and seemed to fall back to sleep.”

Willy was emphatic that he had no doubt that this really happened and it was not a dream. 

There was no fear or resentment only love, contentment and peacefulness.

The older gentleman, with tears in his eyes, gently spoke up that he had a similar experience with his younger son and his wife. "Thank you for letting us hear your story." 

Willy reached his hand out to shake with the gentleman for he felt so much compassion for him and wanted to know his name. The gentleman put his hand in Willy’s and slowly walked up gave him a long hug sobbing, “My name is Ken.”

The young man proceeded to tell them all of an accident he and his brother were in two years ago when his younger brother had died.  And now his Mom had passed away a little while earlier today.  Then said, “My father really needed to hear it thank you.”

He then turned to the older gentleman and said "see dad it is true! He is happy and with Mom!"  Then the young man said he had just accepted Jesus in his heart this past January and he was getting more spiritual. “The Holy Spirit had compelled me to bring dad into the room.” -he happily exclaimed.  He thanked Willy again and then they left the room.

After a seemingly very long silence a bewildered Willy spoke first; “That was rather interesting wasn’t it?”  “No kidding!”, Chimed Steve.

  Willy had seen them when he arrived to work sitting in a couple of chairs that were in the hallway about fifty feet away from the MRI room. There was no way Ken and his son could have heard the FEs talking over the noise of the MRI installation equipment they were using.  How could they have heard Willy talking?  Better still, how could they have possibly known what Willy was going to say before he even said it?

It was now about 12:30 AM as Willy was driving home after work and he was thinking of just how interesting this night had been.  But then a voice somewhere inside him said “that wasn't just interesting, THAT was a MIRACLE!”

After pondering on the idea for a while, Willy did believe now it must have been a miracle!

Because the older gentleman, Ken, was crying tears of joy not sadness!  Ken had mentioned he had the same experience with his wife and son that Willy did with his mom and dad. How could this be a coincidence?

Ken had first thought it was a dream, but after hearing Willy’s story he now realized it was for REAL!

And that is why his son had said his father needed to hear the story!

His son told him right there; "see Dad it was for REAL."

Willy now feels compelled to share that experience with all of his family and his friends!

He decided to write an email about the experience, rather, The Miracle that is, and stayed up all night writing it.  All the while, crying in disbelief that he was so honored as to be a part in God’s handy work.  Realizing that this role he played had been developing within him for over forty years.

All things really do work together for those that love God!